Love Or Obsession
by kage girl
Summary: this is a story I wrote on Quantum Leap many years ago. I am happy to share it with a new audience.


Love Or Obsession

A cloud of darkness begins to disperse in Sam s mind. His mind is groggy as he slowly becomes awake. His eyes gradually adjust to his surroundings. He appears to be in a elegant room. I wonder what kind of body I ll be borrowing this time? Sam decides to get a look at his new face. I must be a rich eccentric old fart to be able to afford all these nice things. But when he get to the mirror a handsome young man with shoulder length hair looks back at him.

Al, Sam calls softly. Al, he calls agin a little louder. No answer. Only dead silence responds to Sam s calls to Al. Well I guess I m on my own for now.

But as Sam looks around some of the memories of the young man s body he is inhabiting come to him. These feelingscome from the love the young man feels for a woman named Maria.

Al picks his moment to show up. Quite a character you leaped into this time, Sam. It s almost like listening to West Side Story as he rambles on about some chick named Maria.

What does Ziggy know about this guy Sam asks.

Everything he has he got through lying, cheating, stealing, and murder, Al replies. Ziggy believes you are here to keep this Ben fellow from causing Maria s death. She is supposed to give birth to a son who will be a great leader when he grows up.

But from what I can gather from this guy s memories he loves this woman; why would he cause her death? Sam wonders out loud.

Someone s coming, Al says.

Out of curiosity Sam goes to get a look at Maria. She is indeed beautifully dressed in a lovely white gown. Yet she seems to have an aura of sadness and misery about her.

Sam, there are guards posted by her door and along any strategic points where she might try to escape. This must be the male version of Fatal Attraction, Al observes.

The sight of Maria recalls Ben s memories of how Maria came to be in this castle.

Ben and Ken were once childhood classmates in their martial arts classes and best friends. He and Ken were always equals as students. But as they grew older Ben s ambitions and lust for money changed him for the worse.

He became one of the top bosses of organized crime at a very young age. He got to a point where he no longer had to dirty his own hands doing the illegal duties f organized crimes; he could just hire henchmen at will.

He had his henchmen ambush and attack Ken; Maria s true love. Ben had fallen in love with Maria the moment Ken had introduced him to her while they were still friends on good terms. At the time he would never have thought to betray Ken; but another student at their martial arts school who was

jealous of Ken s success at the school managed to influence Ben to betray Ken by telling him that Maria was really in love with Ben and that he had more to offer her than Ken did. Over a period of time those words began to sink into Ben s consciousness. He decided to make his move.

He tortured Ken in front of Maria and threatened to kill him unless she agreed to come to him. To save Ken Maria agreed to go with him. As Maria is being dragged away her last sight is of Ken s battered and broken body bleeding. Ken s last sight before losing consciousness was of Maria being taken away while crying and calling his name.

Once Ben has Maria in his castle he sets out to try to buy her love with expensive gifts. Maria cannot bring herself to love him or tolerate his touch after witnessing the depths of his cruelty. Al tells Sam.

Sam notices the way Maria cringes when he enters her room. He also feels the honest emotions the body he inhabits has for this woman.

My leader, your enemy approaches, one of his henchmen calls to him. Reluctantly Sam leaves Maria s room.

Ben s enemy Kahlite and his me story the castle.

Sam, now is your chance to change things. Maria jumped from the balcony terrace to try to get Ben and his henchmen to stop robbing and killing innocent people to pay for the expensive gifts and the castle he bought to try to buy her love. She couldn t bear the thought of so many innocent people dying because of Ben s misguided attempts win her over so she killed herself, Al relays.

The battle is a fierce one. Sam manages to hide Maria in a secret room before he goes to fight. The tide of the battle begins to turn to Ben s favor even though most of his men have been killed along with Kahlite s men.

As Sam releases Maria from the secret room, an assassin leaps form the ceiling chandelier. Sam look out! He s got a knife!, Al cries out. But the warning comes too late.

The sensation of being stabbed releases Sam from Ben s body, but strangely he is still there in a non corporeal state; he can see and hear what s going on but he can t participate. This must be how you feel, Al, when you visit me during my leaps .

Ben staggers from the bleeding wounds. Knowing these assassins are supposed to leave no witnesses he manages to grab onto the attacker and after a brief struggle uses most of his remaining strength to break the man s nect with his bare hands before he can attack Maria.

Ben then sinks to his knees and slides slowly the floor. This is Maria s chance to escape, but she can t leave Ben like this, not even after all he has done in the past.

She cradles Ben s head in her arms. This is what I ve always wanted, he gasps. I ve always wanted you to come to me willingly. Ken didn t die after I attacked him. He is still recovering from his wounds at Wildwood Castle. His face is wet with her tears as well as his own tears. I have never cried before in

my life, . He manages to smile one last bittersweet smile. I just wish I could have been the one who made you happy. Ben reaches out to touch Maria s cheek one last time but then his hand falls to the floor as he closes his eyes and he draws his last breath. A strange look of peace is on his face.

Despite herself Maria sheds tears for the man Ben once was before she has to leave his body to go in search of Ken.

You ve done it, Sam, Al says. She will have a wonderfully dull life now raising the children she and Ken will have for awhile util her oldest son, you know, the one who will be a great leader is needed to help save this country.

Always ready to help you out, Sam replies. The familiar light comes and he is on his way to another leaping adventure . But there is a lingering feeling of loss for this man Ben; by many standards he would have been considered to be a despicable man and yet within his heart was a desire to love.

Sam can only mourn for this man who had only learned to show how great his capacity for love was when it was too late.


End file.
